A Curse Is Born
by fadedmemory
Summary: Chapter 6 is UP! Sophie is still with Howl in his moving castle, along with Calcifer and Michael. But what happens when Howl is cursed yet again? Can it be lifted? Or is he doomed for eternity? Please enjoy.
1. The Beginning

Genre : Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Romance, Humor, Mystery (all in all "General." There are too many genres to fit in only two slots!)

I absouletly love this book and decided to write a fanfic. Please enjoy!

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He looked down onto his hand; a symbol outlined the middle of his palm. He crutched his fist, hoping he was mistaken. Reopening it, the markings seem to have gotten darker. _Curses!_ Pacing back and forth in the limited amount of space in his room, he contemplated the cause of the curse on his hand. The symbol was clear. Round the circle it went, through a straight line across. The inside outline of the circle had swivels, a language he wasn't able to decipher. 

Howl didn't want Sophie to find another curse upon him. He was afraid that this matter didn't involve her, so such a matter had to be dealt on his own. Before he could begin his quest upon breaking the curse, a familiar voice echoed near by.

"Howl! Where are you?" The voice huffed, seeming as if the person entered from a busy street. Other voices echoed behind, but they were much softer.

Rather than answering back, Howl sulked in his room, pretending he couldn't hear anything.

Sophie entered the room, staring at the gloomy wizard. "Now what has gotten into you?" Sophie placed a hand on her hip, waiting for a decent answer.

Changing the subject, he asked Sophie why she hasn't been wearing any of the dresses he had bought her.

Sophie sat beside him on the bed. "I told you that I don't need those fancy clothes! You know how difficult it is to walk on a very busy day in that? It's like dragging a whole bag of gold behind you!" She looked Howl right in his eyes. "But I know you're intentions were good." She smiled gently and kissed Howl on the cheek.

Howl couldn't help but grin back. He touched his cheek with his fingers and remembered how much he loved Sophie. He remembered how much he loved her mouse-y like smile. He remember how even thought she wore that same grey dress almost every day, it suited her, and make her look as good as anyone in a fancy dress. He remembered their first encounter; she was quiet and shy, yet he was bold and vain. Remember the nostalgic memories about Sophie almost made him forget about his own troubles.

Feeling happy again, Howl decided it was time to change his hair colour. He wanted something to match his emotions. So, quickly he dashed into his bathroom and locked himself in for an hour or so.

Meanwhile, Sophie began preparing dinner.

"Calcifer, do you mind lowering your flame please? Any higher and it's going to burn me." Sophie grabbed the pot, filling it with hot water.

"Right, just remember I'm the one keeping this castle running." Calcifer huffed as he lowered the flame.

"I know. I know." Sophie smiled as she prepared the other dishes.

When dinner was finally prepared, Sophie called for both Howl and Michael to come eat dinner. At the same time, she rearranged Calcifer's logs, making it more comfortable. But neither of them rushed to the table as usual. The abnormal silence made Sophie raise some questions. She tried calling for them again. And finally, Howl came out of the bathroom.

"Your hair!" Sophie exclaimed. Even though Sophie knows that Howl changes hair colour as fast as night and day, she still gets shocked every time,

This time around, Howl changed his hair into a chestnut brown. The brown locks wrapped around his face, made Howl look very dashing. Even Sophie had to admit that. Though he changed it to chestnut brown because he wasn't too depressed to have it black, so he added it lighter to reflect his slight happiness.

Sitting down with Howl for dinner, Sophie couldn't help but shade a light rose on her face. Howl's handsome face captured her very heart. Just as they were about to eat, Sophie again wondered.

"Where is Michae-" Before finishing her question, she nearly jumped out of her seat. For the door was being pounded.

"Someone open the door!" Calcifer roared.

Sophie leaped from her seat and hurried to the door, opening to the red knob. An officer from Kingsbury crutched in his hand, what looked like Michael. He had a few cuts and bruises on his face and hands. "Michael!" Sophie pronounced. "What happened to you?" She grabbed him by his arm and led him inside the castle.

"Thank you officer."

The officer nodded, "Just all in a days work." He saluted Sophie and marched right back to work.

Sophie slammed the door, letting the castle rumble.

"Please watch what your slamming Sophie." Howl stood up. "Calcifer is going to have another fit if he falls out of the hearth again." Howl ran his fingers through his hair as if Michael's cuts were normal.

"Howell Jenkins! Do you see what has happen to Michael? If that officer hadn't brought him here like this, goodness what he would have ended up like!" Sophie huffed right at Howl.

"I'm sure he's quite alright, if you would just like him talk."

Sophie pouted. She had gotten to ahead of herself and had forgotten about the importance of WHY Michael was actually the way he was. She managed to grab some bandages, attempting to help heal Michael's injuries.

"Don't worry about it Sophie." Michael refused the treatment. "I have a spell that can help heal these wounds faster."

"Well then." Sophie felt unable to help, making her a little sad. "Everything and anything can be done by magic." Sophie sighed and dreamt about the simpler days.

Michael reached into his pocket, only to pull out a yellow sunflower. It was slightly crushed, but a rare sight none the less.

Sophie stared at it in awe. "That's a…that's a-" she reached towards it and gently touched it on Michael's hand.

"I'm guessing you've never seen one before." Howl laughed heartily.

"I thought those were extinct. It's such a lovely flower." Sophie still couldn't believe she was looking at an actual sunflower.

Howl explained that they we're extinct at one point, but brought back by a mysterious wizard that visited the King of Kingsbury. It was said that together they made a deal that nobody, not even the ones closest to the King know. Only two people know. The King and the Wizard. So the sunflowers lay in the King's garden, with tight security. And the deal? It's still being dealt with.

"But how…" Both Howl and Michael knew what Sophie was going to ask. But instead of going into more detail and wasting more time, Howl just thanked Michael for the artifact and placed it his closet.

As they all sat around the table, finally starting to eat dinner, Michael perked up and spoke. "I didn't know that a sunflower was so important for breaking that curs-" Michael was interrupted by Sophie's glare.

"Michael…what are you talking about?" From the corner of her eye, she could see Howl slowly getting up from the table.

"Uhh…" Michael shifted his eyes from one side to another then stuffed his face with Sophie's food. He forgot about not mentioning anything about the curse when Sophie's present. He knew he was going to get it from Howl.

Howl moved from the kitchen to the stairs, avoiding any contact with Sophie, even though it was impossible. Sophie placed her spoon quietly on the table, worrying Michael on what she was about to do next. She grabbed Howl by his hand as he stood on the stairs and noticed a line of black ink on his palm.

Sophie felt heartbroken as she looked at the markings. "Is that it?"


	2. The Man with the Goatee

Chapter 2: Enjoy and please R&R! Thanks!

To the reviewers...

the-rainbow-dreamer : Thank you, I do plan on updating at least once every week or two weeks.

Purple Carnation : I'm glad you found my fanfic interesting. I was always debating whether to write a Howl's moving castle fanfic or not. Now, I'm glad I did.

jandjsalmon : Happy that you're enjoying this! I do plan on writing a lot more in this fanfic. If I don't update it's either because of school or writer's block!

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Howl snatched his hand away attempting to ignore Sophie's sad stare. "It's noting really. Nothing a simple spell can fix." He looked at Sophie, but he could see that her face didn't believe a word he was saying. 

"Howl…" Her brows furrowed as she stared deep into his sea blue eyes. "You know I don't know much magic. But I can tell you that no simple spell would include a sunflower…" She then turned away, not wanting to hear another lie come out of his mouth. Walking towards the door, she let herself out. She wanted to take a walk by herself before she face Howl again.

Closing the door behind her, she let herself get trapped in the outside crowd. Which was weird… usually it wasn't this crowded, but for some reason, there were many more people gathering outside. All going in the same direction, she followed the crowd. _What could be happening? _She couldn't help but get a little excited.

The streets were getting busier, and it was harder for her to walk through. Even though she's done it a million times before, it was never this outrageous. She didn't even dare try to turn around, for the crowds were blocking her way. Hustling and bustling in the same direction as the citizens, she hid in the crowd, making it harder for Howl to locate her.

_Curses! _Howl didn't enjoy not knowing where Sophie was, especially on oddly crowded day. He knew that if he used his magic, the curse would-

"Ladies and gentlemen," Bellowed a voice, "boy and girls! We have a show like no other! Come gather 'round and see for yourself!"

Sophie couldn't really hear what was happening. The cheers and shouts were too overpowering. She tried to push her way through the crowd, for she had enough. She wanted to go back. But unfortunately, it was too late. She was pushed right to the front. Leaving the crowd behind her, she fell on her kneels, only to look up at a handsome middle-aged man, sporting a goatee. He had long chestnut brown hair falling over his face. She willingly let him help her up from the ground.

"Thank you." The little mousy girl mumbled under her breath.

"Well, what have we here?" The man shouted as he held Sophie's hand. "A volunteer?"

"No… not really…" Sophie shook her head, trying to release herself from his grip. She could feel his grip getting tighter, making it harder for her to escape. "Please let go…"

She could see the crowd getting excited. What's going to happen next? Who is that girl? Is this an act? It seems like the citizens thought so. Most people figured it was all an act, yet they couldn't take their eyes off this performance.

"Please… let… GO!" She finally yanked her hand from her grip, but that didn't make a difference. Before she could even take another step away from this crude man, an arm wrapped around her body pulling it closer to his, letting her feel the hot breath exhaling down on her face.

"Don't touch me you HORRIBLE man!" Sophie elbowed him in the stomach, leaving him hanging there, holding himself with two arms around him. She pushed her way into the crowd, making many people stare at her in disgust.

_Was it really an act? What happened? Who is that girl?_ She could hear voices around her saying those words, making it even more uncomfortable to be in the crowd.

At last, she found a quiet spot, where no one was around. Behind a butcher's store, she sat on a wooden box sighing. She made such a big deal about Howl's curse, that maybe it wasn't so bad… maybe she can even help. Feeling a little better, she looked up at the sky. _It's getting pretty dark. _She thought as she tried to look for a shooting star. _I better get going. _She stood up from the box and brushed the front of her shirt lightly, attempting to get rid of any dirt on there.

Strolling down the street, she spotted a familiar face. It was that man. The one from the performance! She bowed her head down, avoiding any contact with him as she passed him by. But it wasn't hard to recognize her, her reddish locks we're a shinning beautifully against the moonlight and her plain dress didn't make it better. It was nothing you'd ever see a young girl wearing these days.

Knowing it was Sophie automatically; he grabbed her once again on the streets. But before any more elbowing could happen, another hand intruded, interrupting the attempt to grab Sophie again.

"Sophie." Howl sighed. "I was looking everywhere for you. Do you realize how long you've been out?"

She held his arm with both hands and hid behind him. She mumbled a "sorry" behind his back. She was glad Howl came to look for her. But it doesn't change the fact that she was still a little angry with him for trying to hide the curse from her.

"Now Sophie," Howl glared at the man in front of him, "what has this man being doing to you?" Howl's eyes narrowed as he looked at the man. How dare he touch Sophie.

"My, my, my," the voice said with a jolly tone. "I'll be! If it isn't Howell Jenkins! In the flesh!" He placed his fore finger and thumb underneath his chin, observing Howl as if he was a piece of art. "And to think that little lady is with you! She's a real feisty one."

"What do yo-" Howl didn't like the fact that he was still talking to him.

"…so you've got a new curse, huh?"

Howl stopped dead in his tracks. How did he know? The only who knows about this curse is Michael, Calcifer, Sophie and the person who placed this curse upon him. This man wasn't any of them.

"What do you want?" Howl asked with a sinister look.

"I want… her." He pointed in the direction of Howl. And behind, was a young girl afraid of what was going to happen next.

"Don't be ridiculous." Howl laughed it off as if it was a joke. "Let's go home Sophie." As they were heading home, the voice echoed again leaving Howl dead in his tracks.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice echoed from afar.

_Why can't I move my feet? And… and, I can't talk!_ Howl knew this was the work of some dark magic. He knew that this goateed man was not a normal city-dweller.

"Howl…?" Sophie whispered to him. "Howl, are you okay? Why are you stopping?"

_Sophie! Sophie!_

He wanted to tell her to get away from him, but he was under a dark spell.

"I just wanted to talk Howell." The man walked towards Howl and Sophie. "You didn't have to run away like that." With the snap of his fingers, Howl's feet released itself from suspension as well as his voice.

Howl coughed at the sudden release, leaving Sophie even more worried.

Howl stood up, placed his forefinger and thumbs touching each other, enchanting a spell.

_From afar and wide,_

_The lion sleeps,_

_Bring thy from where he hides,_

_Sounding thee and leaps,_

_Trap for thy everlasting night,_

_And bound from thou light._

All of a suddena gust of wind bound the man so he is unable to move any part of his body for a few minutes, leaving an opening for Howl and Sophie to escape home. Howl fell onto his knees. The curse was slowly devouring every bit of him. He could feel it.

"Howl!" Sophie cried as she saw him helpless on his knees.

"A simple spell like that won't affect me Howell Jenkins!" With the lash of arm, he slashed the wind, as if it was a mere piece of paper. It didn't take long before he caught up to both Howl and Sophie.

The helpless Howl tried to protect Sophie by casting another spell, but he was already weak. He couldn't do anything. He felt ashamed that he wasn't able to do a thing. He could feel his body weighting down on him. His power was draining from his body. Howl's eyelids slowly drifted down, as he couldn't keep awake.

"Howl…" Sophie grabbed his shoulders and held him as close to her as possible. She knew he wasn't dead. Just unconscious. He seems to have used too much magic. Was it because of the curse? She wasn't sure. She just knew she had to do at least something to get them out of this unfortunate situation.

Without noticing, the man was right in front of Sophie.

"Now, he's down already? That's a shame… and I wanted to talk to him too." He crossed his arms looking disappointed. He reached to touch Howl but Sophie stopped him.

"Don't you dare touch him." Sophie said, holding Howl in her arms.

"You don't look cute when you're mad, you know." He shifted his movement to touch Sophie's cheek, but a strong force blocked him from touching either of them. He felt a slash on his hand, but no external injuries were shown.

Sophie stared at him with anguish, still holding Howl close.

"Lo-oo-ve?" The man stood there in shock, for he's never witness such a strong emotion.


	3. Who is he really?

Hey there! I can't believe it's been months since my last update, and I really did enjoy writing this fanfic. Too bad for my busy schedule! But I'm back! (Hopefully) And here's another chapter.

SORRY FOR THE SHORTNESS I'll try to make the next ones longer :)

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The sudden unexpected force threw the man a-back. It was a sudden movement he wasn't able to control. He could feel the foreign emotion drive into his cheat. He knelt on the ground, unable to move a muscle. He grinned maniacally.

"What is this feeling? Love? How ridiculous!" He slowly stood up.

When the spell was released from Howl, he managed to speak with a low, husky voice. "Who – who are you really?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…" he winced, while still trying to keep his composure. He could feel the curse of love drive into his body and soul, unable to keep his composure straight because of it. His heart, cold as ice, felt the melting feeling of love. The ignorance he held for this emotion left him to question whether or not he can defeat a mere low-class wizard such as Howell Jenkins, his brother. His blood.

As he stood up, the swelling rush of blood ran to his head. He felt a slight headache as he stood up prominently. He felt the rush running up his forehead, so in mere seconds, he snapped his fingers and whisked away. Although he was gone, Howl had a feeling that this wasn't the last time he'll be seen.

"I wonder who that was…" Sophie carried Howl's weight with the side of her body. He could feel his leaning closer towards her, his body heat. His hot breath blew against her soft cheek. She could feel her cheek, only getting warmer from the inside. Limping and shaking from the sudden spell, Howl and Sophie limped their way back to the castle, where Michael and Calcifer greeted them.

"Howl! Are you alright? Want me to prepare a bath for you? What happened?" Calcifer spat out questions to Howl, seeing him limp into the house. "Do you- "

"My, don't you think you're asking a lot? And a hot bath would be nice. I'll tell you what happened in the morning but right now I just feel like having a hot bath and a nice sleep. Thank you Calcifer." Michael helped Howl the rest of the way up the stairs.

Sophie was already exhausted from carrying half of Howl to the castle. She plopped herself in front of the fireplace, and held her two feet towards the cackling fire. She heaved a huge sigh. "Do you think Howl's alright?" Sophie directed this question to the living fire.

Calcifer could see the fear in Sophie's eyes, the fear of losing someone so important. Not only her, but also to the other occupants of the household. So he responded the only answer that seemed suited for this moment. "He's going to be fine." A dim smile appeared slowly masked his shimmering glow of a fire. "He's going to be just fine." He repeated, only for reassurance.

"Well I hope so," Sophie glanced at the closet, where the sunflower rested. She cracked a lopsided smile. They both knew, deep down, Howl was not "alright."

As she walked upstairs she passed by Michael who was getting ready for bed. "Night Michael." She said. "How's Howl?"

He just shrugged and entered his room.

In the morning Sophie knocked on Howl's bedroom door. "Howl?"

Silence.

"Howl? Are you-" Sophie was interrupted by the sudden open of the door.

"Sophie! My love!" Howl strung open the door and almost hit Sophie right in the face. He grabbed the baffled girl and held her tight to his chest. "It's a beautiful day, is it not?"

Sophie struggled to release herself from Howl's tight hug and stepped backward, nearing the stairs. "Are you okay?" She asked with concerned.

"I'm perfectly fine," Howl grabbed Sophie by the waist before she tipped over. He held her hand as they walked downstairs to the kitchen. "Now, what would you like for breakfast my dear?" Howl dazzled a handsome smile that even Sophie would melt over.

Sophie snapped back to reality. "But Howl! The curse!" She flipped his hard over to reveal a deeper scar engraved into his skin. It was frightening, for the curse had grown and it was deeper and darker. Even Sophie knew that this was a dangerous curse. Nothing she'd ever seen before. As she looked up from his hand, she saw his face glance at the darkened scar.

"It's going to be fine. Trust me." Howl placed his free hand on top of Sophie's. He kissed her on the forehead and proceeded to make breakfast.

"I hope so." Sophie whispered under her breath.

As breakfast was set, Sophie heard a strange noise from outside. She looked out the window, but nothing out of the ordinary was seen. _That's weird… _But it seemed Sophie wasn't the only one who heard this particular noise, because both Howl and Michael looked alert. "You heard that too…" Sophie noticed a worried look on Howl, and especially Micheal.

So off they went in search of the strange sound floating about. Although Calcifer could not help search, he was also aware of the noise. He moved the castle from right to left, yet the noise was still there, and still untraceable. Suddenly, a chill ran up Sophie's spine. A chill so eerie, she couldn't describe the feeling. She peered out the window once again and saw something in the faint distance.

"Calcifer!" She yelled, "Stop the castle! STOP!"

The castle screeched to a sudden halt and everything inside shift a little. Sophie shuffled her feet to the movement of the castle. Even Howl lost his balance and flopped into an oncoming chair.

"Sophie…" Howl proceeded to rub his neck. "Did you find something?"

"Howl! Michael! Look at this!" She stretched her arm out the window and pointed to a spec in the air. Howl rushed by Sophie's side and placed his hand on his forehead, squinting his eyes at the same time.

"What is that?" She looked at the dot in dismay.

"Oh…" Howl widened his eyes. "Here they come…"

The mere spec in the air commenced to grow bigger and bigger. As it came closer, the object was clearer to identify. Unfortunately, now knowing what the object was, seemed to have been a lot worst.

"Good Morning Howl," the spec spoke. "A message from the King of Kingsbury." The object was a magical telecommunicating device, only used by the richest, most powerful people. It spoke in a low, robotic voice. Mechanical as it is, it didn't trick Howl.

"So what are you here for… really?" Howl snapped his fingers twice, and suddenly the mechanical object transformed into a creature, unknown to Sophie's knowledge, appeared before her eyes.

"Howl… what is that?" Sophie was bewildered. She saw the green eyes it had, the glossy, green eyes implanted into his head. The creature blinked his eyes one at a time. Right blink. Left blink. Right blink. Left blink. The horns curled from its ears to the tip of his forehead. They had a steady beige hue that lit into a bleach colour in the sunlight. The body usually consisted of a matted looking fur that covered from the tip of its head, to the curl of its tail. The claws on the critter coiled into its palm, so Sophie was unable to notice if they were sharp or dull. For the most part, the little animal looked terrified that his undiscovered disguise was discovered.

"We-ll, yo-u se-eee…" he stuttered on his words. "Th-e Kiin-g too-ld m-ee…"

Howl grabbed the critter by the body and held it captive until it would speak coherently.

"Yo-u se-e s-ir…"

"Howl! You mischievous fellow! Stop with the torture, we do want to hear what he has to say." Sophie popped in, right as Howl was about to do the unnecessary.

He let the creature go, flittering it's wings as it circled around Sophie's head.

"I am actually not sent from the King." He began to speak coherently. "I am here from the orders of Wizard Randolf…"

"I don't know such a name!" Howl interrupted.

The critter cleared its throat and finished his sentence with two words that struck Howl in the head. Even Sophie, Calcifer, and Michael were all baffled to hear what the critter had to say last. Howl's heart pounded harder and harder. His eyes grew larger as those two words recited in his head over and over again.

"How can this be?" he mumbled to himself. "It's…it's impossible…"


	4. Where is Howl going?

It's been while since my last chapters. Sorry about that. But I do feel a little rusty on my writing and my chapters aren't the longest! Sorry! Anyways, here's the next installment of this story. :) Please enjoy!

* * *

A chair came sliding towards Howl as she sat down abruptly onto it. He rubbed his temples contemplated and reviewing on what had just happened. 

"Howl…" Sophie said. "I didn't know you had a _brother!_"

"I thought he was dead. I _killed _him."

Those words danced in Sophie's head. The word _killed _rattled her insides. She had no had no idea that Howl would even think about killing a man, his _brother, _no lessShe placed her cold hand on Howl's jittery shoulder, and they waited in silence. Nothing-stirred not even Calcifer's wild flames could disturb the bitter silence filling the occupied room. This was until the creature spoke up again.

"I should be going." He mumbled. But his wings were caught onto something heavy and strong.

"You aren't going anywhere." Howl grabbed the critter's small wings and dragged him to a table and slammed him down onto it. "YOU, my friend, are going to EXPLAIN." He hovered over him with a stern look on his face. "TELL ME WHO YOU ARE _REALLY_."

"Well, my name is-is Jas-s-pperr an-d…"

"Quit that stuttering. I don't want to know your life's story. Tell me about the wizard. Tell me about Randolf. TELL ME ABOUT MY _BROTHER_!" Howl's projectile shook the castle and Calcifer's flame diminished almost turning into a huge pile of charcoal.

Sophie quickly brought more chopped wood and fed them to the demon. As she placed the logs into the fireplace one by one, all she could mutter was, "Oh Howl, what have you done now." But no one heard her. Not even the flames before her. With the corner of her eye, she fixed herself into a position so she could keep an eye on what Howl was doing, and what he was _going_ to do.

Jasper looked as Howl in desperation with his big brown eyes, and then in a blink of an eye, he vanished into thin air.

"Where has that despicable thing _gone_?" Howl fuelled with anger and marched towards the door. He whipped down the colourful turning knob and switched to a colour Sophie has never seen before. The green colouring shocked both Michael and Sophie.

"But Howl…" Sophie quietly spoke.

As Sophie began her pled, the door slammed shut and in that very second Howl made his way into the purple door, leaving an echo behind; _None of you better follow me! _The green disk switched back to normal. Sophie and Michael, still stood in shock as those two words jumbled in their brains._ My brother._

Sophie curled her toes, but without hesitation dashed to the door. She started to fidget the doorknob when Michael abruptly spoke.

"Howl said no one to follow him." He spoke in a very commanding way. "And that includes you, _Sophie._

Sophie huffed, but didn't say a word and kept fidgeting with the doorknob. She turned and turned and turned. _Red, yellow, blue, black. Red, yellow, blue, black._ No green. _Oh Howl… _Sophie let go of the door, knowing she couldn't do anything about it. Her shoulders dropped and she became less tense. She realized she wasn't really needed in a castle powered by a fire demon that was once a shooting star. She felt useless in this home. Both Calcifer and Michael both had an important role, while Sophie just tagged along. Her "magical powers" were used very rarely for she has not mastered it yet. She felt unneeded. Her eyes began to water and noticed Calcifer looking at her with a questionable face. With a quick swipe of her fingers she wiped the salty discharge.

"I'm going to Market Chipping." Sophie sniffed her nose and grabbed her scarf. "I'll be back soon." Sophie opened the door but a voice perched from behind.

"Are you sure it's okay… after the encounter yesterday?" Calcifer piped in. "Maybe Michael should come along."

Michael grabbed his coat and followed Sophie to the door. But her voice stopped Michael dead in his tracks.

"I'll be perfectly fine," she said whilst not looking back into the castle. "I'm not a child." Sophie continued in the most calming yet terrifying voice.

With that, Sophie shut the door and headed out to the market.

Michael scratched his head, "Boy is she angry."

"How could you tell? She seemed fine." Calcifer questioned Michael's conclusion.

"Girls. When they are scary calm like that, they are _furious._" He justified. "It's that Howl."

"Hmm. I wouldn't know."

When Sophie arrived at Market Chipping she could feel more tears swelling up in her eyes. She sniffed, but took her hanky out and blew on it. She didn't want to make another spectacle of herself outside. She scrolled by the pier thinking about Howl's curse and his brother. Then the green knob came to mind._ How come Howl never said anything about a fifth colour?_ She felt ignorant about Howl. She felt as if Howl never tells her anything so she knows nothing about him. He's still a mystery to her. Sophie stood at the pier contemplating these thoughts.

"How can I be with someone I don't know?" Sophie accidentally spoke outloud.

"Do you mean that despicable Howell?" A voice behind her replied.

Sophie stood there, stunned. The familiar voice shocked her. And a chill ran from her feet to her spine till the tip of her head. She didn't dare turn around, but there was no choice. She had to face him. Reciting his name in her head gave her another cold chill; _Randolf._

She swung herself around, stiff as a board and looked at her feet while talking to the wizard. "Maybe…"

"What is it? I cannot hear you." The dark wizard laughed mockingly.

Sophie furrowed her brows, as her face went steaming red. She was furious. But in a sense, she was more curious to find out about Howl's past, his brother; how it all came to be. So instead of the normal shy and awkward Sophie, she sprung up and told him off.

"Why you!" Sophie outraged. "You know nothing about Howl. He's a good man, with a good heart."

"HAH! A heart you say? That's a good one. I'm sure he had a heart when he _killed _me!"

Sophie's heart skipped a beat when he heard the tone of his voice. The wizard with a hearty laugh turned his voice into a low gruff when he emphasized the word, _killed._ Her brain was trembling but her heart stood still. She knew what he had to do, and what had to be done. She wasn't going to be scared by a mere wizard that claims to be Howl's brother. No. She was going to stand tall and not let a man like him disturb Howl's path to lift the curse.

"You know…" She lifted her index finger and pointed straight at him. "I may not know Howl's intentions but it's Howl and I know it was for the right reasons. I may ask and he may never tell me but I know he does it because he cares about me. I know that Howl is a good man."

Wizard Randolf melodically clapped his hands. He seemed unimpressed. "That was quite the speech, little Miss Sophie. But all lies, I'm afraid. Not one of those things are true. Would you me to point out your errors? Or would you rather me tell you the raw truth. _Everything about Howl._"

Sophie's ears perked as she heard those last three words. The words she had wanted to hear from first time she met with Howell Jenkins. _Everything about Howl. _She repeated those very words. In her head they swirled around which made her a little dizzy. But was it a good idea to talk to a man that despises Howl. He may lie, or stretch the truth. But more than anything, she wanted to know about Howl. The young girl stared at the night sky and did not realize that she'd been out for so long. She fiddled with her fingers and finally made a decision.

"It's late. I cannot talk to you anymore…" She hesitated. "But if you are willing, I would like to talk to you tomorrow." Sophie could feel her knees knocking each other inside her dress.

"Very well," he shifted his mouth to a sly smile. "I will meet you tomorrow morning at the _Café d'Hiver_ by the pier just around the corner."

"Nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning." Sophie continued, "and please don't be late."

She gathered herself together and brushed passed Wizard Randolf.

"It will be a day to remember."

Sophie turned around and saw that he was gone. But in the air across the sky was a beautiful hawk soaring through the star filled sky. The moon shone brightly against the brownish-red feathers the bird carried upon itself. A feather dropped onto Sophie's feet as she began to walk again. She looked at the mixed colours that captured the beauty of the bird, and tucked it quietly into her pocket. As she was walking back to her home, she noticed how lively and beautiful Market Chipping is when at night. The little town dazzled against the natural light of the moon. It was a shame that she had to go home so soon. _But why does she need to go home so soon?_ She thought. _It's a lovely night out and Howl is probably still at that_ _place._

So till midnight, she enjoyed herself at the Market Chipping nightlife. She even met up with a sister of hers. Lettie, who was out with a gentleman, greeted Sophie with open arms. It was one of the best nights Sophie has had in a while. She talked and laughed so much her jaw was hurting. She felt rejuvenated after that debacle with Howl and Randolf. But it was late and she had to go home. She said her goodbyes and off she went, back to the castle. So a little passed midnight, she came home and opened the door to Howl sitting on a stool by Calcifer. Michael was already asleep. She placed her hand on her heart feeling the fast beating of her heart.

"Why are you sitting in the dark? You scared me half to death!" Sophie exclaimed but made sure her voice low enough so she wouldn't wake up Michael.

"Where have you been?" Howl demanded.

Sophie crossed her arms. "I'd thought you'd know? I'm surprised you didn't use one of those finding spells. Easy for you wizards!"

"Sophie! You were with _HIM_ weren't you!?" Howl jumped from the stool and stood right in front of Sophie's face. "With _HIM…_" he trailed off.

"And if I was?" Sophie has never seen Howl this petrified and angry at the same time.

"He's a dangerous man, Sophie! You cannot trust anything he says. What did he say to you?!"

"Nothing." She lied. "I just wanted to know about yo-" she paused and realized something. "Wait a minute, you knew I was with him… you used a finding spell didn't YOU?

"Sophie, that's not important I ju-"

Sophie abruptly interrupted, "it is important HOWL. Do you not trust me? You left earlier without saying why. YOU never tell me _anything!_" Her voice grew higher. "That's it. I'm going to bed and I'm leaving early tomorrow morning for something. So please don't follow me or try to find me." She left Howl standing there with his foot in his mouth as Sophie climbed the stairs and reached her room. Quietly she shut the door.

Howl slumped back down onto the stool. "Oh Calcifer, what do I do now…" He was confused and new about the real feeling of true love.

"Hmm," Calcifer replied. "I wouldn't know."


	5. The Mystery behind Howell Jenkins

Hi!

New chapter! Enjoy!

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Sophie groggily woke up to the sound of a horn piercing through her ears. _What on earth? _It was only her strangely loud alarm clock. She slowly stretched her neck and arms and realized it was already a quarter past eight. Sophie flipped over her bed sheets and put on her slippers. She quietly stepped outside her room, only to be relieved that the men in this household were not morning people; especially Mr. Jenkins.

The window of Market Chippings had the mist of grey skies looming overhead. It looked like a rainy day. So she wore her usual blue dress accompanied with a golden bow holding her copper locks back. She carried along her long violet umbrella and wore a pair of black boots – they hid underneath her dress.

"Why are you up so early?" Calcifer yawned – or, how it was interpreted to be.

"I have some business to attend. Don't wake Howl or Michael. I'll be back soon." She placed a kettle over Calcifer. "Remember to take that off when it's boiled. Howl likes his tea ready when he wakes up." She pulled a weak smile. Calcifer nodded and Sophie left for Market Chippings.

She was right. The rain began falling as soon as Sophie took a few steps outside the Castle. She opened up her umbrella and walked briskly to _Café d'Hiver. _It seemed like such a gloomy morning. There wasn't the usual morning noise the street vendors made when it was a sunny day. Instead the streets were filled with the sound of the rain hitting the cold brick streets. The _pitter-patter_ of the rain tapped onto the other umbrellas on the roads. She silently walked faster and faster to her destination and to no surprise _Randolf_ was already sitting by a table waiting patiently while sipping a cup of – what Sophie assumed a villainous wizard would drink – black coffee.

"Sophie," he stood up. "Right on time." He pulled out a chair for Sophie and offered her a drink. She declined as she was closing her umbrella; she placed the article close to her side on the chair.

"You'd look lovelier with your hair down." He mentioned as she sat down.

"I didn't come here for your flattery." She told him in a firm voice. "I'd like to hear more about Howl. You promised." Sophie hoped she didn't start sounding like a whining little girl.

Randolf laughed manically. "Straight to business, I see." He took another sip of his coffee. "I like that in a woman. Howell is a lucky man."

Sophie kept her hands on her lap; she folded them together while waiting for Randolf to being telling Howl's tale.

Randolf finished his coffee before he would talk more about Howl's past. He mentioned to her that they were not true blood brothers. Instead they had the same mother, but two different fathers. Howl was born ten years after Randolf. Their mother died several weeks after. Howl was still an infant so he knew nothing about his real mother. Randolf, on the other hand, spent those last ten years with a mother that loved him. As Howl grew, he knew not what love from a mother felt like, nor even the love of a father. He only had Randolf. However, that's only as far as Randolf could explain for he felt a sudden strike across his cheek. A line of blood appeared on the wizard's face, with a smirk growing on his mouth.

From afar, a shadow appeared in the pouring rain. As the figure got closer a familiar face showed up. The wizard was drenched with water from head to. His arms limped by his side; it was obvious that the wizard was tired from the amount of strength and magic he used to strike the man he'd wish he'd never have to see again.

"Oh Howl!" Sophie dashed to the wizard's side once again, not caring about the weather. Sophie held Howl's hand, for he was still standing strong before Randolf. "Howl. I told you not to come, I was fine."

"Sophie…" he whispered.

Now both Sophie and Howl were drenched from the weather and they needed to go home as soon as possible. Sophie grabbed her umbrella, opened it and started to head back. But she slightly turned around so half her face could be seen by Randolf. "Thank you." She mouthed back to him.

"Until we meet again." He held up his cup and smiled crookedly.

Sophie looked back to see him wiping down his cheek with the handkerchief that was sticking out of his pants pocket. She squinted and saw a faint "_74_" written on the cloth. She thought nothing of it now…

Sophie and Howl dragged themselves back home only to sit in front of the fire. When they reached inside, Howl settled down on a chair and began to say some incoherent words. But Sophie knew it was some sort of spell. Probably something that will dry them up faster. She reached to Howl's hands and covered them with hers. She shook her head and said, "We'll do it the traditional way." Sophie found a blanket and covered Howl with it. She took off her dress to reveal a camisole underneath, hung her dress to dry, and brought herself a blanket. When she got a little drier, she proceeded to make a couple cups of tea for the both of them.

"Sophie…" he said again, but this time it was a hoarse whisper.

"I don't want to argue with you right now." Sophie bent down and kiss Howl on the cheek. Then she kissed him lightly on his lips. "I'm going to take a bath." She said with her lips a centimetre away from him. She got up and went upstairs. In reality, she just didn't know how to comfort Howl at the moment, after hearing what Randolf had to say.

Howl's hand trembled as Sophie left to go upstairs. The curse was slowly devouring him with all the energy he used up. It was eating away at his body. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins, gaining power through each and every pulse in his body. Howl began to feel the cold sweat dripping from his forehead. The pulse of his heart could be felt in his palm. He looked down to see the marks were turning into cuts slowing deepening in his flesh. He clenched his fist while blood drizzled down his arm. He closed his eyes tightly chanting a healing spell. Of course, the curse was not lifted, but the markings turned into scars.

After taking a bath, Sophie went downstairs to check on her dress. To no surprise it was complete dry. She knew Howl made some incantations while she was gone. She saw him passed out on the green couch; his hand was lying across his chest and she could spot his burden from afar. She knew it had gotten worst. She didn't know how much worst it will get before he…

Sophie didn't even want to think that far. She brushed her worries away and picked up her dress. Falling down slowly, like a leaf from a tree, the feather from the night before danced it's way down to the floor. It looked more beautiful in the daylight. She picked it up and realized it changed colour. Last night it was a brownish-red, now it turned into a silky raven blue. She was confused but awed at the same time.

As she was waving it across her face, she could feel herself going into a trance. A calming sound could be heard as she stared aimlessly at the strange feather. At first it sounded like a buzz, but as it got closer it was a soothing voice calling her name. She felt happy. Even at ease. She felt as if she had no worries at all. No Howl to worry over, no Randolf to bother her, and definitely no curse to cure.

"Sophie, Sophie…"

Her heart melted as time passed. It felt as if years have gone by.

"Sophie, Sophie…"

But the voice was sounding more firm and different from before.

"Sophie! I said, Sophie! Where did you find that?"

As she came to, she saw Michael hovering over her. He too, was staring at the strange article that Sophie was waving across her face.

"Where did you get that?" Michael's curiosity grew into concern.

"I just found it." She stroked the bristles of the feather gently between her fingers.

"What do you mean _you found it?_ Do you even know what that is?" Michael's voice grew more exasperated with every word he pronounced.

Sophie kept hold of the feather. "On the ground, it just floated to my feet. It looked pretty, so I picked it up."

"What do you mean _on the ground? _And it was pretty? SO you picked it _UP?_"

Sophie could tell this conversation was going no where. All Michael was doing is repeating her answers and turning them back into questions.

"Michael. This is just a feather I found, okay? So are you going to tell me _WHY _ it's so surprising?"

This shut Michael right up. It was as if his mouth was suddenly sewn tight. He wouldn't say a word for a whole minute.

"Well the thing is…" he finally spoke up.

Sophie eagerly waited for some compelling new information.

Michael reached for the feather, but as he touched it, a sudden chill ran up his spine followed by a small cut on his finger. "Oww…" he sucked on his bleeding finger.

The shocked Sophie dropped the feather and it floated down her leg not so differently from that morning. "What _was THAT?_" She asked with dismal.

"Have you heard of the story with the raven and the hawk?" Calcifer piped up from his hearth.

"That kids story? The one about the _legend_?" Michael's tone of uninterest replied.

Calcifer's voice started to crackle. "Not that wishy-washy stuff. I mean the truth."

"The truth…" Sophie cautiously picked up the feather. It did not hurt her what-so-ever.

They all stared at the foreign object. "The whole truth…" Calcifer added.

"And nothing but the truth…" Sophie replied.

"So help us God…" Michael chill's from the feather creeped back onto his spine.


	6. When the Raven met the Hawk

Please enjoy this chapter :)

Review and Comments are greatly appreciated :)

Have a happy New Year

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The leaves in the forest danced around the trees from daylight to nightfall. Never sleeping, and never eating. The cotton white clouds moved from right to left; shifting about from the wind as if they were waving hello or goodbye – one could never tell with the mischievous clouds. But deep in the crowded woods there lived the most beautiful creature – the Raven. Mother Nature would dance around his feathers, feed him the finest of foods, and stroke his body as it feel into a deep sleep. The colour of ebony around his slender but gentle body had made every creature fall madly in love with him. The Raven grew spoiled and vain the longer he lived in the woods. As his ego grew bigger, his beauty grew along with it. The creatures were entranced and awed as each and every day goes by – worshipping the skin of a bird. The Raven was at first amused – but soon became bored. Being told everyday about its fine beauty was getting redundant. So the Raven's harmless game began.

"Would every creature gather 'round the big oak tree?" The Raven announced from the top of the thirty foot tree, "The competition will begin shortly."

Animals from the North, South, East and West gathered about. Animals of all different sizes – there were ones as big as the tree and ones as small as a leaf. "What are you doing, calling us about?" asked an eager Giant.

"I have a game planned for all. Listen carefully because the winner will receive my heart."

There was murmurs and chatter between the creatures.

"What kind of game is it?" the same Giant asked.

"The first creature to get me a sunflower will be the winner."

"A sunflower?" roared the Lion. "What an ugly weed. How about ten dozen roses of all colours – colours that haven't been named or seen before. I have many in my garden, let me fetch it for you, for I want your heart."

"I will give you the most beautiful white peony. It will match well with your onyx feathers. The silkiness of the petals is said to protect you from old age. Your life and beauty shall remain in tact." The swallow hastily replied.

The Raven shook his head, "a sunflower from the highest of the mountains. Just one sunflower is all I need. Go on, before the moon makes its wake."

Creatures scattered about and dashed towards the North Star. The closer they got to it, the more they can smell the fresh powder snow of the mountains. As they grew furthur and furthur away from the Raven and closer to the Sunflower garden, the Raven snickered and giggled heartily. For the Raven knew the truth; there is no sunflowers in any garden - and definitely not even one on a snow covered mountain. The Raven's plan was working. It will pretend to have gotten one himself. He will be the brave and courageous one, and he will be admired even more. The Raven will not only be beautiful, but he will also be a hero. For no one is worthy to love the Raven but himself. He slipped inside the oak tree and there in delicate glass jar sat the weed. The Sunflower opened its petals to the moonlight. It was a sight to see. The sunshine yellow shone so bright, the raven looked navy blue. The Raven caressed the flower gently and hummed it a lullaby. He could not keep himself awake, so he gently fell into a careless sleep - and it will be his last.

The Raven awoke to loud roars and groans. While stretching out his wings, the Raven swooped down to the creatures demanding why there were loud noises while he slept.

"A Sunflower was found!" cried a spider.

The Raven's heartbeat grew louder and faster. "But how?"

"Ask the Ogre." said another.

The Raven glided passed the Deer, swished passed the Lion, and dashed passed the Giant. The Raven found himself beside the twenty-two foot Orge roaring of victory.

"What have you there?!" demanded the once-graceful Raven.

"It is a sunflower. My journey was was to end as I could not climb up the mountain. I tried for hours, yet my legs could not carry me to the top. As I treked back down, already given up - but the heavens' blessed me with a fallen sunflower. I almost stepped on the delicate object. I was trilled to see the flower." he danced with glee, then his face deepened "now Raven, your heart belongs to me."

The Raven was frightened. The sunflower had fallen from the large oak tree somehow... "No!" The Raven shouted. "My heart belongs to no one. I will love no one other than myself. It was a game, a trick. I will reward you with no such thing!"

The forest grew silent and all that was heard was the crackling of twigs made by the Orge itself. Then a roar of laughter surrounded the Raven.

"Love?" the Ogre wiped the tears from his eyes. "What is this you speak of? I want no such thing. I want what is physically in your body. Your heart. Your breathing heart. I shall consume the organ and gain power over the forest as you have for a long time."

"I did not gain power; just respect as my beauty has helped me so."

"Then I will become beautiful," said the Ogre, "and I will be the King of the Forest.

"That is not how it works!" The Raven shouted angrily. "You are too _VAIN_ to think that the forest will be at your feet if you eat my heart."

"There is only one way to find out." The Ogre grabbed the Raven from the tree and started to pluck at its feathers. One by one the once-beautiful onyx feathers floated to the ground and turned into nothing but ashes. The sound of his feathers yelped a little cry when it touched the dirt. Spots of pink skin were seen underneath as more and more feathers flew away.

"Stop it!" The Raven cried out, "I will do anything you say, but don't ruin my feathers... I do not want to be ugly. Take my heart! I want to die beautifully at least. Just consume my heart before the ugly skin beneath my feathers are shown even more. Have mercy."

"You disappoint me." The Ogre opened the Raven's chest and ate his heart. "It is done." He raised the dead bird into the air and yelled, "victory is mine!"

"The End." Calcifer adjusted the wood in his fire.

"Is that it?" Sophie asked in dismay.

"Were you expecting a happy ending?" Calcifer asked.

"That was a little un-climaxing; I do not like stories that end in irony. And where was the Hawk?" Sophie questioned.

"That is all I know of the tale." Calcifer scratched the top of his flame. "I don't know any other."

"Wait a minute… that is not how I remembered it. I definitely remember the sea being involved. Are you sure there aren't two parts? I mean – there _was_ a mermaid involved."

"There is _how many _parts?" Sophie stroked the feather with her finger and thumb. "But more importantly, why does it cut Michael and not me."

"That is probably a question that should be asked to the Elders..." Calcifer's flame grew dim.

"The Elders? Are they..." Sophie spoke.

"NO." Michael interrupted. "You shall not seek the Elders. You shall not meet the Elders. You shall never think of the Elders again." Michael's voice darkened as he spoke these words.

Calcifer's flame engulfed his little hearth, "There are no Elders to seek and that is an _ORDER_." His voice filled with rage and hatred. The castle shook hard from Calcifer's voice - plates and cutlery were shifting from side to side, crashing up and down. Beds and couches and cushions and pillows moved about in her small home. Lights flickered off and on in various rooms – there were even some exploding lightbulbs.

"Okay, _okay," _cried the little Sophie. "I will seek no one."

The castle stopped moving and the lights turned back to normal. Nothing was broken. It felt as if it were a dream. No plates were out of place. No cutlery was broken. Nothing. Not even an inch of the bed had been moved.

"What were we talking about?" Calcifer asked.

"You were about to -" Michael began to say, but a hand covered his mouth.

"Don't say it!" Sophie's eyes grew wider as she looked about in the house.

He pushed Sophie's hand away. "Don't you remember what happened when you talked about _them..._"

"Who?" Michael grew concered for his housemate.

"Sophie, I was just about to tell you the tale of "When the Raven met the Hawk." You were the most eager to hear the tale, since you've never heard it." Calcifer rolled his inflamed eyes.

"But, I..." Sophie's mind boggled. _What happened? Did she just go slightly mad? Was this a dream? If so, she needed to wake up soon! _"Nevermind... I'm just going to go outside for a bit…" She could feel her wobbling legs moving towards the door. She didn't even bother to turn the dial for she did not care where she went – as long as it was away from the castle.

"But Sophie!"

She didn't answer. She didn't care of any dangers that would befall her in her future. She did not realize how important it was to stay close to Howl at that very moment.

Sophie stepped out of the castle. When she put her foot onto the paved, she noticed a scarlet feather. "I must have dropped this from my pocket." Her eyes followed her hand as she picked up the familiar object, however; she placed her hand in her pocket, she felt something that her heart skipped a beat. There she pulled out an ebony feather.

"But that doesn't make sense." In one hand she had the darkest most beautiful soft ebony feather, but on the other hand she clutched onto a scarlet feather as soft and as beautiful as the first. She looked down at the twin objects and pondered. Sophie remembered the tale that Calcifer had just recited. It was coming back to her slowly – still a bit fuzzy, but the tale stayed strong on her mind.

Sophie's mind threw hurricanes and tornados at each other trying to remember how the story went. "When the Raven met the Hawk… When the Raven met the Hawk… When the Raven met the HAWK… Her mind began to spin 'round and 'round. Her brain devoured her ability to focus. Before her mind could stop turning circles, she placed the two feathers overlapping each other and pressed them together between her two sweaty palms. She then unconsciously enchanted five words she'd never thought she'd ever have to say, again.

"_Earthen Khan Them Whew Vet"_

Sophie's world went black. Time slowly passed by; her mind spun and spun as if it were yarn on a spindle. Her eyes flickered as she saw moving pictures beneath her eyelids. She then fell into a deep sleep…

Sophie tiredly moved about. Underneath her body she felt a soft cushion and a warm pillow encasing her small head. She kept her eyes closed and felt around herself. The blankets on top of her hugged her small frame. She felt at home.

Her bliss ended when she heard a voice trying to wake her up.

"Sophie… my dear Sophie, please wake up. We will be having visitors soon."

Sophie rubbed her eyes and let out a big yawn. The voice was not that of a man – so it could not be Howl or Michael. Her ears perked up more when the voice softly called her name again.

"Sophie…Sophie… my sweet Sophie…"

She opened her eyes with her hands in her face. Her hands were smaller than she remembered, her feet were shorter – they could not even touch the end of her bed. _Had she shrunk? And this woman's voice it's… it's…_

"Mama?" Sophie's eyes filled with small tears.

"Why are you crying my darling?" Her mother hugged her tightly. "It's time to get ready."

Her mother helped dress Sophie; even though Sophie was capable to dress herself. But it was the feeling of nostalgia that made her helpless. _Her own mother._ Right before her eyes… She had not seen that face in too many years. It was two years old since then. How did she remember her face?

"Sophie. Today is your sixth birthday, did you know that? And I have a surprise for you."

_Of course, my birthday – my sixth- _"MY WHAT?"

Sophie's happiness grew into worry. This was not Sophie's past. This scene was not a memory of hers. How was her mother alive at six? This did not make sense. Her mind grew more and more tired as time ticked on by. And WHY WAS SHE SIX?

The doorbell rang and Sophie got escorted to the door with her "mother."

"Just on time." Sophie's mother smiled. "Please come in."

There in the door frame stood a beautiful man who shone brighter than the morning sky. Two boys stood at each side of the man. One boy was about nine years old, while the other looked to be a handsome young man, no more than twenty years old.

"How about the kids play together in the back," The man spoke. "My eldest will look after them while we chat." He took the hand of Sophie's mother and walked with her to the kitchen.

"Oh my, of course." She pointed to the back and patted Sophie on the head. "Please behave yourself, I will be back shortly."

The eldest son was a sight to behold. Even Sophie could see that. The dashing young man sat regally on a lawn chair parked in the middle of the backyard. He crossed his legs and straightened his shirt. "Be good little bro', don't be messing about with Sophie. She's a good girl."

The little boy nodded his head. His black hair covered his eyes and it drooped down hitting his shoulders.

What a troublesome kid, thought Sophie. She had no time to play games. She had no idea how she got in this situation. But she noticed the little boy prodding a stick in the ground. So instead of plotting a plan to try to get out, she decided to walk over to the boy. He looked so defenseless; she wanted to play with him.

"What are you doing?" Sophie asked, squatting down beside the boy.

He didn't answer.

"What are you doing?" Sophie asked in a louder more clearer tone.

The boy kept prodding the stick on the ground, but after a few minutes of staring at the ground, the boy was no longer prodding the dirt, instead he was drawing some sort of figure.

"You like to draw pictures?" Sophie more interested than before.

He nodded.

"What is it that you are drawing?" she inquired.

The boy kept moving the stick around, soon drawing in the ground more fiercely.

"What is that? A bird?"

The boy's face lit up but the elder son dashed beside the boy and slapped him hard across his face. "Don't be playing games with me _BOY._" He fell to the ground but his mouth never stopped grinning. Sophie could finally see his whole face.

His eyes were the most majestic blue that one has ever seen.

Sophie recognized his face but could not remember where it had been. She could feel her mind slipping away from body and her memories falling out of her head. Names she's supposed to remember faded from her thought. But one question remains in her running brain. One question that stayed in the back of her head waiting to escape but Sophie has kept it locked inside.

She walked to the boy lying on the ground; the elder son had already left to fetch the father. But Sophie unafraid of losing her mind, bent down to his ear and asked,

"Are you the Raven?"


End file.
